The House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise has vowed to investigate the alleged diversion of imported finished goods to FreeTrade Zones (FTZs) from other ports by unscrupulous Customs Licence Clearing and Forwarding agents in connivance with bad eggs in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other agencies.

Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Leke Abejide, stated this in an address at the Lekki Free Trade Zone Command of the NCS on Friday.

According to him, the criminality which he described as a great economic sabotage, was perpetrated to shortchange the nation of needed revenues, especially the loss of over N1.5 trillion in one year.

He said, “It was so bad that in one of the free trade zones that I don’t want to mention because I don’t want them to run away; we know them and we will go back to five years later and collect this trillions from them. So this is where you should be looking at.

“They will not pay duty because the law says in three months after production you will come and pay duty. They will go and sell first. Honourable colleagues, this has worked so fast.We need to do something about it. More than 1.5 trillion lost in the process of this last year.

“We are doing it already but I don’t say it out. The system we are going to use, they will know that we, too, we are experts in this. We will be able to get them those who they thought they have beaten five years, they must vomit it.

“We know them and I believe in this place it’s happening too whereby they will come in the form of bringing raw materials and they bring finished goods and they take it to the market”.

Speaking at DUFIL Prima Packaging factory located within the Lekki FTZ, the committee chairman said the House would amend the NEPZA Act to address the loopholes that companies and individuals exploit to shortchange the government.

[DailyTrust]

Dangote Industries has emphasized the need for significant investment in research, technology, and global best practices to drive sustainable industrial development in Nigeria.

The call was made by Ayirioritse Okerentie, Deputy Regional Director (South East) of Dangote Cement PLC, during the Dangote Group’s Special Day at the 36th Enugu International Trade Fair, organized by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA).

Okerentie stressed that for Nigerian products to achieve global competitiveness, the country must prioritize innovation and research. 

He added that advancing the industrial sector through technology and development initiatives is key to staying ahead of international competition.

“Developing Nigeria industrial sector requires massive investment in technology, adoption of best in-class global practices. This is the best way for products from Nigeria to gain global recognition. When your products are of global standards, global recognition becomes easy,” he said 

He described the theme of the fair, “Developing Nigeria Industrial Sector/SMEs for Economic Advancement & Global Recognition” as apt.  

Okerentie said that Dangote Group was Africa’s foremost indigenous manufacturing conglomerate which believes that the nation’s industrial/manufacturing sector has the capacity to impact significantly on the economy especially in the creation of jobs, provision of goods, reduction in imports of finished products and adding of value to our raw materials.

”It is generally accepted that a nation’s economic wellbeing is largely dependent on the industrial/manufacturing sector,” he said.

He noted that the industrial/manufacturing sector is labour intensive and could create millions of direct and indirect employments for people of diverse skills such as administrators, accountants, engineers, technicians, marketing & sales among others. 

“It can also create indirect employment for supply chain actors in other sectors of the economy such as raw materials suppliers, logistics and transportation, farmers, and miners,” he said..

Speaking on Dangote petroleum refinery, he said the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, has exported refined petroleum products such as aviation fuel, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), automotive gas oil, naphtha to many African, European, American and Asian markets and that the products conform to the Euro V specifications.

He disclosed that the Dangote Petrochemical Complex has kicked off the production of polypropylene, a major raw material used in textile, plastic, furniture and pharmaceutical sectors.

 “According to the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), the country imports 90 percent of its annual polypropylene requirements (amounting to 250,000 metric tonnes), but will now become a net exporter, generating foreign exchange to strengthen the economy. We are optimistic that many new manufacturing outfits will emerge relying on both the products and byproducts of the petroleum complex as feedstock in their production processes,” he said .

“As a conglomerate driving the diversification of Nigeria’s economy, while we produce critical household items, some of our other products serve as either feedstock or raw materials for other manufacturers.

”The evolution of these mutual interdependent industries is expected to revolutionise Nigeria’s economy by creating linkages between different industrial sectors.

”The linkages will provide cushions to the economy, preventing disruptions in production as raw materials are available. Linkages are vital in sustainable economic and industrial development. We are envisaging a connected and interlinked manufacturing sector that will produce goods that are usually imported, and in the process create more jobs for the growing youth population,” he said..

Okerentie noted that dDngote Group’s participation in the Fair, apart from the exhibitions, is to seek connections with other businesses. 

The president of ECCIMA, Sir Odeiga Jideonwo expressed joy that Dangote Group had been part of the chamber’s success story in the hosting of the Enugu International Trade Fair over the years and had been major sponsor of the fair for the past four years.

“There is no doubt that Dangote Plc has added a lot of value to the growth of the Nigerian economy, operating in almost every sector of the economy. 

“The recent investment of Dangote Group into the oil and gas industry has taken the company to another level, especially with the positive impact Dangote Refinery has made on regulating the prices of Petroleum products in Nigeria. 

“We commend the Dangote group for this and request that the Federal Government should give the company all needed support to continue to bring smile on the faces of Nigerians once again,” Jideonwo said.

[TheNation]

The Caribbean are one of the most diverse people on earth. Their composition includes indigenous Carib, Taino and Ciboney, integrated with millions violently ripped from Africa, Europeans and migrants mainly of Chinese and Indian origins.

They are also some of the most bloodied, repressed and suppressed in world history. Today, most of the colonies in the world are in the Caribbean. The issue of colonialism in the Caribbean is so bad that the colonialists refuse to recognise many of them as colonies.

The Assembly of Caribbean People, ACP, in a webinar on April 5, 2025 co-ordinated by Kandis Sebro, decided to deliberate on the past, present and the future of the Caribbean. The theme was: “Culture, Resistance, Sovereignty and Revolution.” I was not only given the honour to attend, but also to speak.

The moderator, Elsa Sanchez of the Dominican Republic made it clear that: “The Caribbean people are not asking for permission to be free.” All they demand, is “a fair and sovereign world.”

African liberation fighter and famous author, Franz Fanon, was produced by Martinique which ironically remains a French colony. Tragically, France and the United Nations, UN, refuse to recognise its colonial status.

Martinique is one of the longest suffering countries in world history. It was colonised for 133 years by Spain, before France occupied it on September 15, 1635, that is 390 years ago!

At the APC conference, the position of Martinique was presented by Robert Sae in a paper titled: “The Struggle for the Achievement of Sovereignty.” He said the people are told they are sovereign, but not independent. The French, he said, dictates to the people who cannot even decide on tariff in their homeland.

He said the great resistance of the Cuban and Bolivarian Revolutions continue to inspire the people. Sae asked the ACP to further equip Martinque people with information and technological know-how to further their struggle for independence.

Barbados and Haiti presented a paper titled: “The Caribbean, a Space of Proposals for a New World.” It was presented by David Denny of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration.

He said Caribbean movements need to develop an Action Plan that can help them unite socially, economically and politically “so we can create a space for our people in the world.”

Denny submitted that the Caribbean people need to build a united movement that can create the conditions of the Grenada Revolution. He suggested that one of the basic steps that need to be taken is the strengthening of the Trade Union Movement that could make them serve the workers. He also suggested that the Reparations struggles should be part of the agenda for liberation, and linked with the solidarity struggles of the Latin American and African Peoples.

He noted that there is a big divide between the Caribbean People and the Afro-Descendants in Latin America, and suggested the creation of joint anti-fascist platform like Venezuela is building.

The Haitian Platform to Advocate Alternative Development, PAPDA, which is dedicated to promoting alternative development models in that country, particularly on food and sovereignty, also made a presentation. Camille Chalmers who spoke for the organisation, said the Caribbean people are fighting against genocide and re-colonisation. The region, he said, is “at the heart of trans-modernity.” He noted that it had produced strong revolutionary movements which resulted in the Haitian, Cuban, Bolivarian, Nicaraguan and Grenadian Revolutions.

Chalmers noted that the diversity of the people had united them. He said when the oppressors brought diverse people together with the potential to divide them, the people countered by creating their own language of unity, adding: “We created Creole, we also created our own religion, Voodoo, which incorporated the religion of the oppressor. We equally created an organisation of labour on the basis of freedom, solidarity and freedom.”

He paid tribute to Haitian revolutionary leader, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who after the liberation of his country on January 1,1804 wanted to move on to liberate Martinique and Guadeloupe where the French had established slavery. Dessalines also had a wider plan to liberate Africa from colonialists.

Chalmers noted that France imposed a terrible ransom on Haiti two centuries ago which destroyed the foundations of the latter’s economy. He said this is one of the reasons the people should not relent in their demand for reparations.

The paper: “The Caribbean Driving Emancipatory Processes” was delivered by Julia Canrera of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples, ICAP. The presentation identified three stages of emancipation the Caribbean people had undergone: colonialism, efforts to eradicate internal oppression, and Northern American imperialism. ICAP noted the imposition of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the World Bank, and their enslaving conditionalities on the Caribbean people. It asked for support and solidarity with the Caribbean people to implement their Ten-Point Programme of emancipation.

I spoke on the establishment of the End Colonialism Movement, ECM, a product of the August 12-13, 2024 international conference hosted by the African think tank, the Society for International Relations Awareness, SIRA.

The ECM, I informed, demands independence for 61 colonies around the world, including Martinique, Guadalupe and Puerto Rico which the United States has occupied since December 10, 1898.

I pointed out that the ECM document supports the Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice adopted by the 15-member countries of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM.

I also presented to the conference, the ECM suggestions that to take serious steps towards ending colonialism in the world, the UN should properly identify and designate all affected territories as colonies in accordance with its Charter which defines them as “territories whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government”.

Secondly, that it addresses colonies by their proper name and not as ‘Self-Governing Territories’, NSGTs, which serves to obscure their true status. Thirdly, that it concentrates on and aim more directly at decolonisation and less on ancillary matters.

Thirdly, that it recognises all colonies rather than merely the 17 which have been designated.

Fourthly, that the UN admits all colonies into the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, just as India and the Philippines were admitted in 1945 while still being British and American colonies respectively.

Fifthly, that it holds public Decolonisation Hearings and Negotiations between the colonies and the colonising countries to work out actionable plans for decolonisation and their implementation.

I also informed that the ECM had urged the UN to design concrete and actionable plans for decolonisation in the world by the year 2030 which is when the UN Fourth Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism ends.

Responding to my presentation, Edwin Cortes, who had spent 14 years in US jails for agitating for Puerto Rico’s independence said: “I think Nigeria represents hope for the new world we want to create.”

Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on Friday paid a courtesy visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at his Kaduna residence.

Atiku was accompanied by top political figures including former governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), former Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami; former governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa; former governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam; and former governor of Adamawa State, Jibrilla Bindow.

A video of the visit was shared on social media by Atiku himself.

Reflecting on the visit, Atiku noted that the former president was in high spirits and entertained the delegation with his trademark sense of humour.

“As the Waziri Adamawa, I was obligated to be in my Adamawa during the Sallah celebrations. I held forth for the Lamido Fombina (Adamawa) in some of the activities of the Sallah celebrations,” Atiku wrote.

“Today, I had the opportunity to pay a post-Sallah visit to His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2015-2023. It was a wonderful time with him. As usual, he cracked me up (to the extent that my ribs were hurting) with his peculiar humour.”

[Vanguard]

Bayo Ojulari, group chief executive officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, says the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project reached 72 percent completion rate at the end of the first quarter of 2025.

Ojulari announced the development at the 2025 Oloibiri lecture series and energy forum (OLEF) organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.

In his keynote address, Ojulari, represented by Udy Ntia, NNPC executive vice-president, upstream, said globally, upstream oil and gas companies are expected to invest more than $30 billion in digital technologies in 2025.

“These technologies are not optional extras. They are foundational to improving asset reliability, lowering lifting costs, and reducing greenhouse gas effects,” he said.

“At the NNPC Ltd., we have embraced digital transformation not as a buzzword but as an operational imperative. We have embraced this reality with deliberate strategy.

“Our upstream subsidiary is deploying real-time reservoir monitoring, predictive maintenance, and AI-driven subsurface imaging to drive value and operational resilience.”

Ojulari said its digital transformation roadmap is anchored on three core pillars: intelligent automation, data governance, and cyber resilience.

“But beyond revenue, our hydrocarbon wealth must now become a bridge to a broader, more sustainable energy future. Technology is no longer an enabler. It has now become a fulcrum,” the NNPC boss said.

“In alignment with Nigeria’s energy transition plan, targeting to achieve net zero emissions by 2060, the NNPC Ltd. has initiated gas-led transition programmes, including the expansion of autogas programme, targeting more than one million vehicles through 2026.

“Energy transition is not a story. It is a global necessity, but its pathways must be shaped by local realities. Africa cannot afford a transition that leaves its people in the dark.

“As we forge ahead into this new energy era, let us remember sustainability is not a destination. It is a journey, a journey powered by technology, guided by sound policy, and anchored on a robust ethical supply chain.”

In June 2024, the federal government said the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project would be delivered by the first quarter of 2025, but the deadline has been missed.

[TheCable]

The announcement that Port Harcourt, the Garden City, would host the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) of our Association was met with widespread enthusiasm. Indeed, prior to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, registration figures had soared, reflecting the excitement and eagerness of members to attend. However, the unfortunate turn of events in Rivers State has understandably stalled the momentum and affected advanced preparations for the Conference.

Currently, Rivers State is being governed by a retired military officer, appointed as a Sole Administrator, who operates with a command-style approach that disregards constitutional provisions, court decisions, and pending litigation. His actions have undermined democratic institutions and processes, flouting the rule of law with impunity. Though clad in civilian attire, he governs as though the state is under military rule.

The voices of our members, particularly those calling for a change of venue, grew stronger over time. We convened meetings with the Chairmen of NBA branches in Rivers State and held an emergency session of the National Executive Council (NEC) on the 27th of March, 2025. The overwhelming consensus was that the NBA could not, in good conscience, proceed with the AGC in a state governed unconstitutionally by a Sole Administrator.

The NEC reaffirmed that the state of emergency declared in Rivers State violates Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution. It further noted that the suspension of elected officials and democratic institutions contravenes Sections 11 and 188 of the Constitution. The purported ratification by the National Assembly, executed via voice vote rather than the constitutionally required two-thirds majority amounts to a grave constitutional subversion. Even if the proper procedure had been followed, it would not legitimize an unconstitutional proclamation.
Given these undemocratic developments, Port Harcourt can no longer be considered a justifiable venue for the 2025 AGC. To hold our flagship event in such circumstances would amount to a tacit endorsement of constitutional violations and subversion of the rule of law.

The NBA has taken a principled position in accordance with the law: the appointment of a Sole Administrator in Rivers State is unconstitutional. Consequently, and in alignment with the overwhelming position of NEC and the broader membership, we are compelled to relocate the 2025 AGC to a state where constitutional democracy remains intact.

We are pleased to announce that the 2025 Annual General Conference will now be held in the historic Coal City of Enugu. The city possesses the infrastructure and capacity to host a conference of our scale and significance. We are confident that, with concerted efforts, this change of venue will not compromise our commitment to delivering a successful and impactful Conference.

We call on all members and stakeholders to lend their full support as we embark on this new path. With unity, diligence, and a shared commitment to our values, we will make this transition a resounding success.

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN

President

Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara 

General Secretary.

Emeka Obegolu, SAN

Chair, AGCPC

...says agro-industrial processing zones will empower farmers, attract investors, diversify Nigeria's economy

The federal government has commenced construction of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Calabar, Cross River State, as part of a nationwide drive to transform the agricultural sector and stimulate inclusive economic growth across Nigeria.

This is the second of such a facility initiated within 72 hours after Vice President Kashim Shettima had on Tuesday performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Kaduna State SAPZ in the Chikun local government area of the state.

Already, the AfDB has reaffirmed its commitment to mobilising an additional $2.2 billion to execute the second phase of the SAPZ project across 28 states in Nigeria.

Speaking on Thursday when he performed the groundbreaking ceremony of SAPZ in Calabar, the Vice President described the project as “a game changer” that aligns with the President Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at diversifying the nation's economy, addressing food security, tackling rural unemployment, as well as empowering farmers and the youth population.

 “There is no intervention more practical in our dream of a nation where the potential of agriculture is maximised than what’s brought us together today. This isn’t just a project—it’s a bold vision to transform Nigeria’s agricultural value chain,” VP Shettima said.

According to him, the SAPZ initiative, supported with counterpart funding from development partners and the private sector, is designed to address challenges that have long hindered the growth of Nigeria’s agricultural economy, including inadequate processing infrastructure, limited access to markets, and rural unemployment.

“For far too long, our farmers have contended with poor infrastructure, lack of access to finance, and inadequate processing facilities. This zone is designed to confront those challenges head-on by creating an ecosystem where innovation, investment, and collaboration thrive,” he noted.

VP Shettima explained that the Calabar SAPZ will serve as a hub for agro-processing and storage, providing farmers and agripreneurs with critical infrastructure to scale their operations and tap into local and international markets.

“This is where farmers will meet with private investors, where ideas will turn into enterprise, and where our youth will find meaningful opportunities,” he said, disclosing that the Tinubu administration has classified SAPZ as a priority program in Nigeria's quest for food security, with plans to institutionalize it as a government agency that will facilitate agricultural industrialization across all 36 states.

"These zones will generate thousands of jobs. They will create opportunities for young people, empower them with skills and knowledge to engage in meaningful work and help them contribute positively to the economy. Cross Riverians, development has come to your doorstep. For you and for the country, SAPZ is a game changer—one that will enable Nigeria to diversify its economy with a sustainable source.," he stated.

Senator Shettima also expressed gratitude to key international development partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), for their support and belief in Nigeria’s vision.

The Vice President commended Cross River State Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, for his collaboration, describing him as "a critical foundation for the success of this intervention and a great ally in development."

Earlier, Cross River State Governor, Senator Otu, said the programme marked a watershed in the ongoing bid by his administration to establish the renewable resource base of the state through the full utilisation of agriculture and its multiple value chain.

Otu pointed out that in Cross River State, the establishment of a cluster of smallholder farmers in cash crops such as rice, cassava, millet, and cocoa across the state is the right step towards the agro-industrial revolution.

He said the paradigm shift from a non-renewable to a renewable resource base also holds the key to the prosperity of many nations, hence the imperative to join the league of sub-nationals in Nigeria that have adopted agriculture as the mainstay of their economy.

"The deliverables of the envisaged projects are food security, diversification of the state economy towards export-oriented trajectory and increase in the State's GDP. When these projects are fully operational there is an expected robust collaboration with reputable agro-based processing institutes, universities and the rest, aimed at accelerating breakthroughs in many agro-industrial production."

Also, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the programme would transform the agricultural production and agro-investment landscape in Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.

Kyari thanked Vice President Shettima for his leadership and political backing at the highest level in the implementation of the SAPZ in Nigeria, just as he also commended the Governor of Cross River State for his commitment to ensuring that the state is among the front-running states that will commence the construction of their Agro-Industrial Processing Hub.

In his remark, President of AfDB, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, reiterated the bank's pledge to mobilise $2.2 billion to execute the SAPZ project in 28 states across Nigeria.

Adesina observed that Cross River State has a significant role to play in Nigeria's agricultural transformation because of the vast production of cocoa, cassava, rice and banana in the state, saying Obudu Cattle Ranch alone can turn the state into a huge livestock producer.

He also acknowledged that the state is ideal for SAPZ because it has an export processing zone, ports facility, and export handling capabilities, adding that the SAPZ in Calabar can easily be linked to the seaport for the transportation of processed agricultural commodities to the export market in neighbouring countries, including Cameroon and the rest.

"The African Development Bank, as you know, is spearheading this together with our partners, which include the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and we have put together $934 million from the African Development Bank, with core financing of $938 million from these partners.

"The first phase of SAPZ in Nigeria will be in eight states of Cross River, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Imo and the Federal Capital Territory. We are delighted with our partnership with the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

"We have put together a financing package of $510 million to make this work. We expect, in the second phase of this, to mobilise $2.2 billion to be able to work for 28 states across the federation with several partners," the AfDB President said.

Stanley Nkwocha

Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications

(Office of The Vice President)